What game(s) are you playing right NOW?

I'm currently playing the original Call of Juarez.

I couldn't get the game to install under Vista 64bit when i first got it. It would only install to the default location or the installer would crash, and even then it crashed on start up saying it wasn't compatible with this version of Windows. Grrr. Anyway, I thought I would try again last Friday but the same thing happened, so I had a search and downloaded a copy. This one installed exactly the same (only allowing the default location), but this time it let me apply the update patches and it worked!

I hadn't managed to play Call of Juarez before and it is quite good. The environments look great, especially running the game under Vista with the DirectX 10 patch installed and a good enough graphics card. The two points of view are well done with some great voice acting, especially from the preacher.

It does have flaws though. I don't think the actual game mechanics are that great, especially compared to many other FPS in recent years. Some combat elements are quite cool, such as the quick reaction mode when you draw your guns as the preacher, allowing you to target multiple shots while your two crass hairs move towards the centre of the screen. And also the red indian bow and arrow is quite a cool weapon. Aiming the bow slows down time allowing you to aim for some great head shots, and gives a great sense of you being hidden with the enemy not knowing what is about to hit them.

The flaws include bad enemy AI. I managed to sneak up to a camp fire with 3 bandits sitting around it, and using the bow and arrow managed to pick them all off one by one without the others noticing. The level designs are also not that amazing, or they introduce silly navigation down rocks.

One game mechanic I hate is the whip/rope to navigate large gaps. It is easy to latch on it trees to swing, but one launched it isn't that easy to work out when you are save to drop at the other side.

Some parts also don't give you time to think, so you end up dying at least once before you know what you have to do next. For example, grabbing some bullets in the cabin sees you instantly caught by the owner, and the game indicating your only option is to escape though the window behind you. Easier said than done when the enemy is holding a shot gun to your head.

The character animations are also not that great. People and horses walk in a very wooden unnatural way.

But the story is great so it is still worth playing.

And if you have a DX10 graphics card the game will give it a workout. Plus it has a DX10 benchmark test program that flies you though parts of the game and highlights different DX10 modes. This allows you to set different resolutions, anti-aliasing etc.. great to see what your GPU can do.
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Currently trying to finish Cave Story.
Damn that last segment, Hell, is truly HARD.
I know it's made to challenge those who succeeded in getting all the accomplishments in order to access it, but Pixel, you could have had some heart at the time for the lesser quick-reflex types amongst the human population.
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Project Stealth Fighter on my C64. Still the best.
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At the moment, i'm playing:

- metroid prime trilogy on wii (near end of first episode, i enjoy every piece of it);

- Zelda - the twilight princess on wii (i don't really like the 3d zeldas, they make me nervous);

- resistance retribution on psp (FPSs on psp, i have some difficulties with the controls, makes me even more nervous);

- new super mario bros on DS (pure delight).

I'll get my PS3 slim on saturday with oblivion, uncharted 2 and killzone 2

note: no more pc games, because no more pc. We've sold them and replaced with 2 imacs 24''

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As a gamer surely you will regret that decision in the end? Macs have crap PC graphics cards compared to a real PC and can't run most of the current games via Windows. For me the iMac is too restrictive too. Nice large screen, that is true, but with everything built into it you have next to no upgrade abilities for future proofing. Plus if the screen fails after the warrant expires you lose the lot.

Did you upgrade the horrible small iMac keyboards to the rip off expensive large keyboards? I think Apple know everyone is going to prefer the larger standard sized (pro?) keyboards so are cashing in on making people buy them as an extra.
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I sold my PCs to avoid PC gaming, i couldn't stand it anymore... I bought a 32'' samsung tv + wii + ps3

To be honest, i don't miss a single second PC gaming, i can finally play the games like everybody else on the platform, no need to upgrade,... But that's another debate, pc vs consoles. Let's just says that it was a long time i wanted to switch. So for the gaming, i have no problem to give up the PC. To the contrary: GTA IV (way better than the pc version), killzone 2, resistance 2, uncharted 2, metroid prime, twilight princess...

As for the keyboard: everybody who buys an imac can ask to replace the small keyboard for the larger one with numeric pad, for FREE!!! So those who have the small keyboard and don't like it: their own fault... You can make the simulation of the price of a new imac and you will see no change if you pick the small or the large keyboard. And it isn't only available online but also at any apple store (we bought ours here at the store and we could chose the keyboard of our choice)

For the rest, the mac is way better than i expected. The software integration is amazing, it makes my old PC look like an horrible patchwork of third-party applications. When it comes to working, using photoshop, coding or video editing, that computer is a dream and makes my hours of webdesign a greater experience.

I know that you hate mac, Harrison, but 10 hours on macos made me forget years of hate against that OS.
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